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Josh Emmett: New & Improved at UFC Fight Night 118

Early on, Josh Emmett (11-1) began pinning victories to his record in the featherweight division. After three and a half years, the long-standing member of Team Alpha Male boomerangs back to 145-pounds in hopes of reigniting a championship run in the UFC, and his first assignment will be: Felipe Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118.

As stated, Emmett entered the professional ranks within the featherweight limit, but a move to lightweight and successful overhaul of Northern California’s regional circuit validated his decision to climb the monstrous mountain of mixed martial artists at 155-pounds. Eventually, the UFC opened its doors to Emmett, and his promotional debut generated, from before the bell to the final air horn, a memorable narrative.

With five days notice, the UFC called Emmett to fill a last-minute vacancy against Jon Tuck at UFC Fight Night 87. Emmett leapt at the opportunity with enthusiasm. Prior to the curtain closing on the third, a wild kick from Tuck nearly put Emmett down a digit, along with the round, by dislocating his finger and causing the bone to pierce through the skin, though, incredibly, it remained attached as he completed the final frame with seven of his eight limbs intact.

Following a split-decision win over Tuck, the Sacramento native stuffed The Golden 1 Center for a deafening homecoming versus Scott Holtzman. An overwhelming pace and punishing offense pointed the scorecards, unanimously, in Emmett’s favor.

When the spectacular streak of Emmett ended at UFC 210 at the hands of Des Green, a former welterweight, by way of split-decision—and heavily criticized scorekeeping, especially since one judge scored the back-and-forth affair: 30-27 for Green, he reevaluated his choice to continue amongst such giants and retraced a path back to his roots.

Suffering the unfamiliar taste of defeat, Emmett, after a lifetime of wrestling and six years inside a cage, wanted to heal his body before taking a bite out of the UFC’s featherweight division; therefore, he spent several months rehabbing and re-strategizing how he’d devour the next name on his contract, in this case: Arantes.

Lean—and yes, though possessing a boyish smile—mean, and a proven fighting machine, MMA fans who log-in to UFC Fight Pass on October 21, 2017 for the UFC’s pitstop in Gdansk, Poland will witness Emmett, with ten-pounds less mass, fight with a heavyweight on his freshly re-minted—and even more chiseled—featherweight shoulders.